Sunday, September 6, 2009

Use your head, not your heart

IT’S time for cool heads to prevail. The controversy over the cow-head protest, which arose because of the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple in Shah Alam, has degenerated.

Raw emotions were displayed at the meeting between Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and the residents yesterday.

The emotionally-charged meeting turned ugly when some residents reportedly shouted profanities and even tried to throw chairs and shoes at the Mentri Besar.

Insults were hurled and insensitive remarks were made by those present, which shocked the Selangor elected representatives and pressmen.

The Aug 28 protest by about 50 people who marched from the state mosque to the state secretariat building to oppose the relocation of the 150-year-old Maha Mariamman temple from Section 19 to Section 23 has now become international news.

It would have been just an ordinary demonstration if the protestors had not paraded the head of a cow, an animal deemed sacred by the Hindus, and placed it at the state secretariat building.

The Section 23 residents have good valid reason to be irked, dissapointed and of course angry. They bought the property with the understanding that the temple was nowhere near their residents. Should they know that the developer is also planning to build temple closer to their houses, most of them, I'm sure would 'cabut' or at least think twice before investing. They are not protesting just for the sake of protesting, but doing it as a matter of principle. Others would have done the same. Imagine a chinese or indian bought a house in one residential area with understanding that the building opposite or next to her unit was also houses, only to discover years later that the developer wanted to build a surau there! I'm sure most them would protest.

Again Malaysia is in the TOP headlines of international news for the wrong reason.We can't go on like this.We are digging our own graves while many of our once poorer neighbor countries are advancing."WHO CARES!" I can hear many fanatics shouting this already (sigh).

I see a lot of hot head, is this the way people should behave? shouting at the MB at the top of their voice? This is very un-Malay and un-Muslim, is only brining shame to the community they are from.

I think the MB had done very well so far, at least PR is trying to solve something for section 19 which BN can't. The temple is too near in sec 19 and the location is better in sec 23. The Malays in sec 19 would be very happy and since now is proposed to move to a location that is not too near to the houses in sec 23 than I would say overall it is a gain for Malays in the whole area. Great job by PR.

Datuk Wong, you are a well educated Malaysian who has benefited greatly from the university education in this country.I find it very baffling indeed that you continue to work for a government that is the antithesis of what a good government is all about.I'm sure that you will be a far greater asset to the country if you choose to do what is right for the people who are down trodden.

About Me

Wong Chun Wai, 48, is the Group Chief Editor of The Star newspaper in Malaysia. Wong writes a weekly column "On The Beat" in The Sunday Star. He regards himself as a newcomer to the New Media and believes it can co-exist with the mainstream. The views expressed in Wong's blog are entirely his and do not represent that of his newspaper. More on Wong, click here.